As we welcome the blossomed month of May in 2024, the sports card market is indisputably effervescent. Breathtaking releases in baseball, basketball, golf, and racing are showering collectors with an array of choices that fairly straddles regular and unique card formats. Here’s our finely curated lowdown on what’s brewing in the first fortnight of May.
May 1, 2024 gives birth to a trove of collectibles in baseball and hockey. First on the line is the 2024 Topps Heritage Mini Baseball, a digital-only series that pays homage to the coveted 1975 mini set with a 500-card base set. Within each Hobby box, you’ll find 24 packs, nine cards per pack, which includes an autograph or relic along with a box loader. Juan Soto’s first on-card autograph in a Yankees uniform is an inviting lure with this stellar release. Simultaneously, the hockey card market witnesses the return of the 2022-23 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection. Each box houses a quartet of cherished keepsakes: an autograph, a high-grade memorabilia or autograph memorabilia card, an extra memorabilia card, and a base or rookie card.
Another gem for basketball fans finds its way on the same day – the 2023-24 Panini Recon. Expect more rookie cards of Victor Wembanyama! A Hobby box conveniently arranges ten packs for you, each contaning six cards. You’ll secure two autographs and 20 inserts in every box.
Fast forward to May 8. Baseball fans have a promising start with the 2024 Bowman Baseball. Since its rebirth in 1989, Bowman has been a standard-bearer spanning various sports. Its 2024 edition proffers Hobby boxes filled with a Chrome autographed card and Jumbo boxes graced with three autographs. The green parallels remain exclusive to retail boxes. On the heels of NBA playoffs, the 2023-24 Panini Crown Royale Basketball is showing up with eight prized cards per box – one autograph, one memorabilia card, and a couple of inserts or parallels. Collectors are on hold for Tim Duncan autographs, sold at a ballpark figure of $500 per box. Hot on the tail, 2024 Upper Deck SP Game Used Golf and 2023 Panini National Treasures Racing extend their luxury collections to golf and racing buffs.
May 10, 2024 continues the streak of treasured cards in soccer and golf. The cherished 2023-24 Panini Select Basketball box returns, boasting twelve packs, each holding five cards. These constitute three autographs or memorabilia cards. Here, the Prizm parallels and memorabilia-infused rookie cards make their claim to fame. The same day, expect a pleasant surprise from the 2023/24 Donruss Soccer, although the box configurations and key features remain under wraps.
Brimming with fresh and diverse offerings across sports genres, early May’s card release calendar is shaping up to add excitement to any collection. The most compelling factors? Juan Soto’s debut Yankees autograph in the Topps Heritage Mini set and the coveted Tim Duncan autographs in the Panini Crown Royale series. Rest assured, the first half of May 2024 promises to be a veritable feast for sports card enthusiasts.
